Wednesday, 1 February 2017

Iraq brings in travel ban on US citizens in tit-for-tat move

  • Iraq's parliament voted today for a 'reciprocal' travel ban on US citizens
  • The travel ban is a response to Donald Trump's controversial executive order
  • Iran as said it is also reviewing its options after its inclusion on the banned list
  • Thousands of Americans have protested outside airports because of the ban

  • Iraq has banned US citizens from travelling to the country in a tit-for-tat move following Donald Trump's extreme vetting executive order. 

    Trump has suspended travel from seven Muslim majority countries including Iraq. 
    However, in return, Iraqi politicians have now banned Americans from their country. 


    Iraqi politicians Kamil al-Ghrairi and Mohammed Saadoun said the decision in parliament today is binding for the government. 

    Both say the decision was passed by a majority votes in favor but couldn't offer specific numbers. No further details were available on the wording of the parliament decision.

    It was also not immediately clear who the ban will apply to - American military personnel, non-government and aid workers, oil companies and other Americans doing business in Iraq.

    It was also not known if and how the Iraqi measure would affect cooperation in the fight against ISIS in Mosul.

    Trump's order includes a 90-day ban on travel to the US by citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen, and a 120-day suspension of the US refugee program.

    Iran's senior vice president  Ishaq Jahangiri branded the executive order as 'illegal, inhumane and against human rights'.

    He said: 'We will definitely take stance against this illegal, inhumane and anti-human-rights activity in international bodies. 

    'And once again (we) will review and explore American human rights in international bodies in order to let the world to know what a system they are facing.'

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